and implement permaculture in your life!

teach, consult, design

Learn how to

to tackle any permaculture project!

skills & confidence

Develop the

in a world leading demonstration site!

Permaculture

Touch , smell & taste

Great soil fertility

Learn the secrets to

Permaculture In Action – April 2018

This ten day, Permaculture In Action (PIA) course at Zaytuna Farm, picks up where the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course leaves off.

 

The PDC, as we teach it, is an intensive theoretical journey into the essential core concepts and design elements of all aspects of Permaculture. Students of this course undoubtedly emerge inspired and with access to incredible new perspectives on the world around us. This large volume of theory is necessary and teaches the student all of the fundamental components of Permaculture as an entire system.

 

 

Which leads us to the most common questions coming out from the PDC

“How do I get started?”

“How do I develop the skills and confidence I need to get going?”

Our Permaculture in Action course is the answer we have created to these questions.

 

 

This thorough ten-day training takes the student through some of the core systems we currently run on the farm: renewable energy systems, farm irrigation, roof water harvest drinking water systems, mixed animal systems, crop production, nursery, organic fertiliser, food forest and farm forestry along with waste system management.

 

 

Over the course of the two weeks you will also learn how to consult, design, teach and implement aid work.

 

 

This course is a practical course with a small amount of class time. Around 80% of the time will be working directly in the field gaining the hands-on experience in applied Permaculture.

Clear
MEALS:

Fully catered, with three meals per day plus morning and afternoon tea.

Accommodation:

Camping on site in self provided tent/camper.

Course Outline

NURSERY

 

A solid, functioning nursery is the hub and heart of a Permaculture site. It is in the nursery that we prepare a wide variety of plants ranging from annual vegetable crops, small perennial plants, valuable ground covers, all kinds of support species and our important productive trees.

It is from this heart that a site is able to expand and a good nursery manager is an invaluable asset.

 

In the nursery component of this course students will learn:

 

  • Basic seed saving
  • Potting mixes
  • Transplanting
  • Different propagation methods
  • Timing and managing of plantings
  • Watering systems
  • The use of hardening off stands

and more…

Cropping
Systems

 

Zaytuna Farm hosts several different cropping systems each with a different purpose, function, and approach. The main systems we run are a main crop, kitchen garden, and a tropical garden. It is from these gardens that we obtain the majority of our foods. Students will learn key distinctions in setting up and maintaining an ongoing production system in each of these main cropping areas. Learning components include:

 

  • Composting
  • Correct mulching procedures
  • Irrigation systems
  • Awareness of seasonal and successional plantings
  • The use of poultry tractors in a main crop
  • Cropping and scale
  • Alternative cropping systems

and more…

Integrated
Small Animal
Systems

 

Animals are a major component of permaculture and are used to connect elements within the system to one another, provide useful work and give useful products. Here at Zaytuna Farm our small animal systems currently consist of chickens (an almost necessary and incredibly functional component of permaculture), ducks, turkeys and rabbits.

In this section of the course students will learn some of the useful applications of these animals to a permaculture system, particularly in food forest creation, dam/pond maintenance and pasture fertility. We will discuss methods of working with animals to significantly reduce the use of external feeds. Aspects of selection, breeding and processing of animals will also be covered.

Integrated
Large Animal
Systems

 

The use of larger animals on a site is an incredibly valuable method of gaining access to and managing large areas of land. Here at Zaytuna Farm our large animals are directed through our creative and highly functional laneway system which allows access to and management of the entire 66 acres of property in an easy manner. Our current large animals are cows, divided into two separate herds for dairy and meat production, and horses.

Students will learn about the management of dairy cows including the process of milking; you will also learn some of the basics of horses and how they can be used to maintain a laneway; and lastly students will learn about the finer points of electric fencing and rotational cell grazing of cattle. Our cows move through the entire site in a specific manner that only allows the herd access to any area of pasture for a maximum period of 1-3 days thus allowing regenerative growth to occur and avoiding problems of compaction and over-fertilisation. Finer points of pasture management and the possibilities of using cows to convert grass lands into forests will also be covered.

Food
Forests

 

The food forest is a signature aspect in the practice of permaculture. At it’s simplest a food forest is exactly what it sounds like, a forest full of food. The dominant aspects of a food forest are fruit and nut trees yet, with good design, all layers of the forest can be turned towards productivity including the understory and even ground covers.

Students will experience establishing new food forest as well as working in mid-term and more established food forest systems thus seeing and learning about some of the finer details of succession and maintenance.

Zaytuna Farm has many sections of food forest at different life stages and students will get an opportunity to walk through, work in and experience these differences at an intimate level.

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

What's Included in the course
healthy permaculture food cookies and camping at zaytuna farm

FARM FRESH FOOD
& CAMPING FACILITIES

 

Three Healthy meals a day (Mon to Fri)

 

Morning and Afternoon Tea & Coffee Break

 

Hot Showers

 

Camping Shelter*

 

Access to Wi-fi

 

Access to kitchen facilities

 

*Please note only 10 camping shelters are available.  Plenty of ground space is available.

ABOUT THE TEACHERS

The Permaculture in Action course will be ran by Geoff Lawton who will be assisted by his team, who have been working, managing, living and breathing the systems whilst staying at Zaytuna Farm.  Geoff’s team comes from a diverse set of backgrounds and countries, yet everyone has one thing in common: A passion and drive for Permaculture.

The team have been mentored and supported by Geoff and Nadia Lawton, this will undoubtedly offer an unforgettable and highly informative experience into the practical aspects of Permaculture.

Geoff Lawton

 

Geoff Lawton is the main facilitator for the PIA.  He is a Permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He first took his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course with Bill Mollison in 1983. He holds a Diploma in Permaculture Education, Design, Implementation, System Establishment, Administration and Community Development given by the founder of Permaculture, Bill Mollison.

Geoff has undertaken thousands of jobs teaching, consulting, designing, administrating and implementing, in 6 continents and close to 50 countries around the world. Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organisations and multinational companies.

He has currently educated over 15,000 students in Permaculture worldwide. These include graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course and courses focused on the practical design of sustainable soil, water, plant, and legal and economic systems.

 

ZAYTUNA FARM

ABOUT THE LOCATION

This PIA will be taught at Zaytuna Farm, As one of the leading Permaculture demonstration sites in the world, Zaytuna Farm has a range of functioning systems including water harvesting, food production, and a very productive animal husbandry. All of which will add to the learning experience and make this course a very rich experience and one not to be missed.

What OUR STUDENTS SAY

I NOW HAVE A NEW PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD!

 

The PDC and PIA course at Zaytuna Farm have opened my mind for a new perception of the world around me, in particular, the connection with people, community, and Earth. These three weeks have cracked open my heart, it is almost like a spiritual journey. Because finally, I know there is a practical and realistic path everyone and I can walk on to make a positive impact on the world.

-YING GLORIA CHUNG

YOU GET THE TOOLS TO BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION

 

Doing my PDC at Zaytuna Farm was a dream come true. Being immersed in Permaculture — especially followed by Permaculture in Action — is a life-changing experience. Coming to understand Permaculture means you can never look at things the same way again and opens up the natural world to you. You have the tools to become part of the solution. In addition to the PDC curriculum, the chance to meet interesting, positive people from around the world was a huge plus!

-JEANMARIE TODD

WHAT NEXT ?

Need More Help?

The Next Steps

1. Check our Courses & Events page for further specialised training.

2. Become a Certified Permaculture Teacher

3. Create a profile and join the Permaculture Network

Clear

Zaytuna Farm

LOCATION:

The PIA will be taught at Zaytuna Farm, which is located 1 kilometre from the village of the Channon, 20km outside of Lismore in New South Wales, Australia.

Nearest Airport

Regional: Lismore, Coolangatta, Ballina
International: Brisbane

Train Station

Casino (with bus service on to Lismore)

Bus Stop

The Channon

NB: A limited service that runs Mon-Fri

X